Hello! Welcome to your blog post. Blogging can be hugely important for your website’s SEO success and for keeping customers coming back for more! You can use your blog to share about business updates, recent shoots, cool new products, and all kinds of other things.

But it doesn’t have to be all business all the time! Readers will love to get to know the “real you!” The person, artist, and entrepreneur behind your great business. Don’t be afraid to show your personality while your write! Blogging is meant to be sort of informal, which helps connect with readers on a personal level.

So, what are you going to write about? A good way to start is by sharing your recent work.

Have you done any cool shoots lately? (I know you have, you all-star photographer!) I bet you have loads of images just waiting to be shared with your adoring fans.

Making this kind of post is really easy! There’s even a template you can follow to write a quick blog that follows all of the “Blogging Best Practices.” It goes like this:

Start With A Really Cool Title

Your title should be about 6-10 words and describe your post in an interesting way. Keywords are important, but they should be your secondary priority.

“Winter Wonderland Engagement Shoot In Downtown Raleigh”

Something like that so set the mood, hook readers, and give a little information about your shoot. This will also help people searching on Google find you if they’re looking for a specific venue, location, or photography style!

Next, Add Words And Images

You don’t have to write a novel! Just 1-2 paragraphs of text should do. Focus on the “who, what, where, when, and why” of the post to keep it simple.

“Had a ball shooting this engagement photography session with Alex & Sam in Center City Park! The weather was just right, and the energy of this sweet couple just shines through!”

Nothing too fancy. You just need some words to ground readers, set the stage, and give your post some searchable text. That way Google match your post to people who are searching for a great photographer like you.

As for photos, limit yourself to 10-15 per post. If you want to share more, link readers to a gallery to see all the awesomeness.

Finish With A Link!

Remember: No Dead Ends! At the end of your blog, give the reader something to do next. Whether that’s to see a gallery, book a session, or simply read another blog, give them a link — preferably a big old button…like this one!

Marketing & Design

Okay, your cool blog is done. Now all that’s left is to publish and get readers. Think of blogging as part of your marketing strategy – because it really is.

Blogs help people find you through search engines. But you can also share your blogs on social media platforms to get people ooh-ing and ahh-ing over your work on your website. The goal is to show them around the place, dazzle them with your work, and hopefully they’ll end up booking their own sessions – or signing up for updates! Sharing is easy. Just click “Share” and post to the social media of your choice. Done and done.

Our last notes are about design. Both for your overall blog layout and for each post.

People are visual creatures... but you know that already. A beautiful blog will encourage people to stay & read more! Your blog comes with a bunch of layout options so you can create a gorgeous experience for your readers.

If you write a longer article, try to break up the words with images peppered throughout. Photos make for a more enjoyable read!

If you have extra widgets, you can easily embed them in the footer or sidebar of your blog. Putting in a subscription form, for instance, is a great idea to keep people hooked on reading your blog!

That’s about it! You now know everything you need to make a great blog for your business! Good luck, champ. I know you’ve got this. But if you ever have any questions, drop us a line, and we’ll be glad to help!

Introducing newborn Xia (She-ah)! Weighing 6 pounds and a few ounces, she is such a cute little bundle!

Because Xia is half Chinese, I thought that it would be fun to include some of the traditional flowers of China in her newborn photography session. So, I made a crepe paper peony and a cherry blossom wreath in which to pose her. The peony is the national flower of China.Esteemed as one of the most exquisite flowers, the peony signifies richness, opulence, beauty, honor and high social status. A symbol of spring, it is also used as a metaphor for female beauty and reproduction. In full bloom, the peony symbolizes peace. The cherry blossom represents feminine beauty and power.

Needless to say, Xia has captured her parents’ hearts! Alex and Michelle, despite being exhausted, were beaming with pride at their new daughter. Even when "poop happened" all over Alex's white shirt we were all laughing!Here are a few of my favorites!

P.S.Xia’s mom is a highly skilled digital painter and I can’t wait to see which image she chooses to paint!

The Year of the Print.Yes,I’m going there!My credo for 2016 is that all lives matter and that you and your family are important!In my mind, there is nothing more paramount than the relationships one cultivates with others.We come to know ourselves through the interactions we have with our fellow travelers on this sojourn called life.

There are very few material items that last a lifetime.There are fewer still that last beyond a lifetime.One thing that does, however, is a photograph!As a professional photographer, my mission is to encourage people to exist in photographs and to preserve their memories by printing them.Moreover, to have them realize that they shouldn’t entrust these moments to the neighbor next-door with a “really nice camera” or to their relative “that has a good eye.”And especially not to someone who offers them “all of your images on a disc for $150.”None of these scenarios offer you that which is truly precious…a quality experience with your family that produces amazing imagery, along with products that will remain with your family well into the future.

Everyone enjoys remembering people and occasions from the past, especially those that are near and dear to our hearts.The older I get, the more I know this to be true.Do you want to spend your time searching for those memories in your kitchen drawer, or recalling where you misplaced your disc or thumb drive?Wouldn’t you experience more enjoyment seeing them on your wall or in an album on a daily basis?Did you know that displaying photographs in your home boosts your child’s self esteem, reminding them of who they are, how they are loved and their unique value as a family member?Wouldn’t you love to look at a family portrait on your wall and say to yourself, “I made this family?”

Am I pushing my own agenda?You betcha!People often ask me why I chose to be a professional photographer.The short answer is because it brings me joy.I absolutely love what I do.The long answer is more complex.On my bedroom dresser I have beautifully framed images of my mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother.Each time I dust this dresser, I think of these women that came before me, along with the time periods in which they lived.I search for my face in theirs.They make me feel rooted to something bigger than my own life and the here and now.I wonder if they can see me from above and if they are cheering me on.I’m sure that they are!They have become daily reminders that life is fleeting and as a result, they give me purpose.

I am obsessed with the phenomenon of time - the urgency of it, the passing of it, the purpose of it.We all live by the clock; it’ always ticking.Fleeting moments that will never be seen or felt again, relegated forever to our memories.

Let me ask a few questions.How many times is one lucky enough to become pregnant and bring new life into this world?How many times is a child a newborn?How many times does a child lose his or her front teeth?How many times is a child a senior in high school?How many times does one get engaged or married?How many times does one have a 25th or 50th anniversary?The questions could go on and on but you get the idea.You live these amazing moments one at time throughout your life and they should be preserved for those that you love and for those that love you in return.

I have had the privilege of being recognized in the photography industry for the excellence of my imagery on a number of occasions.While fulfilling on a personal level, my real joy comes from the looks and the tears on people’s faces when they first see their final images from a session.Imagery that evokes this kind of emotion deserves to be printed and shared.The urgent message that I wish to impart here is to convince people to care about their own legacy and to exist in photographs!It matters to those here now and to those that will follow.You will be so happy that you took the time out of your busy lives to do so!

Allow me, or someone like me, to be the curator of your family’s legacy.Print your photographs!

You would never know that these two little munchkins weighed about 9 pounds total when they were born! They had us chasing them around the studio set to keep them in the right spot for photographs, lol! Everyone helped to wrangle them including Mom, Dad and big sister, Roz. I couldn't have done it without them! I have to say that we all had a great time and that the boys are total hams, especially Roman! It always amazes me to watch their little personalities continuing to emerge as time goes by. Such precious moments and fleeting milestones never to be forgotten!

After having worked with KJ since he was in his Momma's tummy, it was such fun to celebrate his first birthday! A joyful boy with a joyful smile, he completely reflects back the love that his parents have for him. He absolutely loved his cake smash and when he was done he just walked away as if to say "My work here is done"!